Battersea Park Retains Prestigious Green Flag Award

Battersea Park has once again been named one of the best green spaces in the UK, retaining its Green Flag award status.

In its 21st year, the prestigious award recognises and rewards well managed green spaces and sets the benchmark standard for the UK and around the world.

Battersea Park’s attractions include a boating lake, sports courts, an Olympic quality running track, bike hire, a popular children's zoo, lakeside restaurant, Victorian bandstand, tennis courts, all weather floodlit sports pitches and a peace pagoda - a unique London landmark complete with gold-coloured Buddhas overlooking the River Thames. There’s also a new children’s playground and a treetop kids’ adventure from Go Ape!

Wandsworth’s environment spokesman Councillor Jonathan Cook said: “Battersea Park truly is one of London’s most popular and attractive open spaces. No other park in the capital offers so much to see, do and enjoy. I am delighted it has won a green flag yet again.”

At about 200 acres, Battersea Park was opened by Queen Victoria in March 1858.

It was created out of fields and marshland to provide a place of healthy recreation for the huge numbers of people who moved to London during the Industrial Revolution.

The park suffered due to being used as allotments and pig farms to increase British food production during World War II. It was also used as a troop dispersal area at times, and suffered significant damage from Luftwaffe bombers attempting to hit Battersea Power Station. It was also struck by a powerful V2 ballistic missile towards the end of the war.

In the 1950s and 60s the park was home to a popular funfair, but this eventually closed in 1974 and the park became run down. It was taken over by Wandsworth Council when the Greater London Council was dissolved in 1986, and since then it has gradually been transformed into today’s award-winning green space.